Thursday August 21, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) — At least 23 Somali nationals drowned after
two migrant boats capsized off the coast of Lampedusa, Italy, Somali officials
said Wednesday.
Somalia’s ambassador to Italy, Ibrahim Omar Shegow, said 15
people were rescued after the vessels encountered technical problems en route
to Italy. He urged young Somalis to avoid risking their lives on dangerous sea
crossings and instead seek opportunities at home.
“The loss of these lives is tragic,” Shegow said, calling on
Italian authorities to dismantle human trafficking networks that lure migrants
into deadly journeys across the Mediterranean.
The International Organization for Migration estimates that
more than 24,500 people have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean since
2014 while attempting to reach Europe. Lampedusa, a small island between
Tunisia and Sicily, has become a key landing point for migrants making the
perilous crossing from North Africa.
The deadliest single tragedy in the area occurred on Oct. 3,
2013, when a boat carrying over 500 migrants from Eritrea, Somalia and Ghana
sank, killing at least 368 people.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has said her
government is pushing for stronger prevention measures against illegal
migration, arguing that rescue operations alone cannot address the crisis.